Sandra Oh often shut down the possibility of returning as Cristina Yang in Grey’s Anatomy in the past, but her latest comments about potentially revisiting the character make it worth pondering how could Cristina return to the medical drama. The third original intern to leave, Cristina’s exit had a massive impact not because she joined the ranks of the Grey’s Anatomy main characters who were killed off but because her departure deprived audiences of yet another iconic original character and her and Meredith’s glorious friendship onscreen, after it had been such an important staple of Grey’s Anatomy for ten seasons.
As far as exits go on Grey’s Anatomy, Cristina’s was among the happiest, given how she left Seattle for a fantastic job that would have progressed the career she gave everything for and celebrated her friendship with Meredith in their last moments together. Grey’s Anatomy brought back many original characters in recent years, whether their exits involved their deaths or not, and Cristina’s exit storyline made it easy to envision her return eventually, especially considering her strong bond with Grey Sloan Memorial. Sandra Oh’s comments about a potential Grey’s Anatomy return make Cristina’s visit to Seattle much likelier than before.
5Cristina Returns To Support Meredith In The Fight Of Her Career
Her Alzheimer’s Research Might Reach A Point When Meredith Needs Her Person
Meredith’s Alzheimer’s research that started in Grey’s Anatomy season 18 brought her success as well as plenty of complications. This was true in the beginning when what Meredith theorized went against everything the scientific community had previously agreed on, but also more recently, in her struggle to get funds so that her and Amelia’s research could actually progress.
During the weekly wait for new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy season 21, fans can check out a similar medical drama series now streaming on Netflix.
4Cristina Brings A Patient To Grey Sloan Memorial
Most Doctors Returned To Grey Sloan Memorial For A Patient
Cristina’s role as Chief Medical Officer at the prestigious Klausman Institute for Medical Research makes it unlikely she would need patient consults from halfway across the world. However, Cristina could nevertheless return to Grey Sloan Memorial to show a groundbreaking surgical technique to the new class of interns, out of allegiance to the hospital that made her the esteemed cardiothoracic surgeon she now is.
Cristina’s departure from Seattle and Grey Sloan Memorial came after being nominated for the Harper Avery only to lose it to somebody else, making a change of scenery necessary for her career to continue thriving.
3Cristina Returns To Stop A Threat To Grey Sloan Memorial’s Existence
Cristina Partially Owned Grey Sloan Once & Could Return If It Was Threatened
From tornadoes to wildfires, to a lack of teachers that risked the closure of its residency program, Grey Sloan Memorial had its fair share of threats to its existence to overcome. While management shakeups were more common in Grey’s Anatomy’s earliest years, Cristina already stepped up to save the hospital in the past when she became part-owner of Grey Sloan along with the Seattle Grace Five and Callie, making it possible she would again if Grey Sloan was in danger again.
[Cristina temporarily returning to save the hospital] would make her a hero among past and current Grey Sloan Memorial doctors.
2Cristina Returns As A Patient
The Lives Of Most Grey Sloan Doctors Were Threatened At Least Once
One more unlikely but not impossible way Cristina could return to Grey’s Anatomy is as a patient. This would only work if Cristina remained for a longer arc in the medical drama, whether before or after the accident that turned her into a patient at Grey Sloan Memorial, but it could still be a reason for her to be seen again on Grey’s Anatomy.
| How Grey’s Anatomy‘s Original Interns Left Grey Sloan Memorial | |
|---|---|
| George | Died after he jumped in front of a bus in a bid to save a stranger. |
| Izzie | Left Seattle and Alex after losing her job at Seattle Grace. |
| Cristina | Left Grey Sloan Memorial to become the Chief Medical Officer of Klausman Institute for Medical Research in Switzerland. |
| Alex | Abruptly left Seattle to move to Kansas with Izzie and their children. |
| Meredith | Left Grey Sloan Memorial to work at the Fox Foundation to research Alzheimer’s. |
Given how several among Grey’s Anatomy’s doctors died or suffered life-threatening injuries at Grey Sloan, Cristina being there as a patient wouldn’t feel too far-fetched. At the same time, it would work better if the character whose life was in danger was a regular in Grey’s Anatomy, making it the least likely reason to bring Cristina back to Grey Sloan Memorial.
1Cristina Returns Because Meredith’s Life Is In Danger
Cristina Usually Was At Meredith’s Side When She Almost Died
Another reason that could bring Cristina back to Seattle has to do with Meredith again, as she still spends a lot of time there compared to any other doctor who left the show. Grey’s Anatomy seasons 15 and 16 proved that Cristina is still Meredith’s person offscreen, making it likely for Cristina to return if Meredith’s life was in danger.
Meredith’s key storylines in Grey’s Anatomy seasons 20 and 21 have been less central, but 1 patient’s story in season 21, episode 11 changed that.
Every time Meredith risked her life, Cristina was at her bedside. While that wasn’t the case in Grey’s Anatomy season 17 during the pandemic, on every other occasion Meredith could have seriously died, Cristina was there. With Meredith’s life not being threatened for a long time, if it was, it would be the perfect reason to bring Cristina Yang back to Grey’s Anatomy.
